Halfway North

the queen is dead

long live the queen

I kneel in the

twilight river

my knees on the sand

I plunge myself under and

break

the surface

to the north

I baptize myself

I am a new

creation

the water rolling

into the water

the water

taking

the water back

again

the light

shattering

across the face

of the river

the light

gathering

in my hands

and pouring out

the old me is dead

long live

me